Family says four men 'kidnapped' doc, they turn out to be Bangalore cops

The Goregaon-based family called up 1-0-0 saying the doctor had been abducted from his home; when cops intercepted the vehicle carrying him, they found out it was Bangalore police, who told them the man was an accused in a cheating case

It was high drama yesterday after the family of a Goregaon-based doctor called the 100 police helpline, alleging that four men had abducted him from his home.

Four men in civil clothes enter the home of Goregaon-based Dr Santosh Rai, and take him away

The city police put up nakabandi at all exit points in the city on being provided the vehicle number, but it turned out the ‘kidnappers’ were actually policemen from Bangalore, who had come to Mumbai to arrest the doctor, a runaway accused in a cheating case.

The family calls up police helpline 100, alleging the doctor has been abducted. They also provide the licence plate number of the vehicle in which Rai was taken away

The accused doctor was identified as Santosh Rai, who practised in Tilak Nagar, Bangalore. The city police there said Rai had cheated several students of lakhs of rupees, on the pretext of providing them admission to a medical college. Police said Rai had fled to Mumbai four months ago after collecting the money from the students.

Vanrai police intercept the car on the highway in Goregaon (East)

On Sunday afternoon, at around 1 pm, the Mumbai police control room got a call from a family, who alleged that their family member, a doctor, had been kidnapped from his home in Goregaon (West). The family also provided the licence plate number of the vehicle in which the doctor had been taken.

The ‘kidnappers’ turn out to be Bangalore police, who show their IDs and inform Vanrai police that Rai is accused of cheating students of lakhs of rupees on the pretext of giving them seats in a medical college. Illustration/Amit Bandre

City police then laid nakabandis at all exit points in the city, and also on highways. Within half an hour, Vanrai police, based in Goregaon (East), intercepted the vehicle ferrying the doctor on the highway in Goregaon.

Police then learnt, on examining identity cards, that the ‘kidnappers’ were actually Tilak Nagar police from Bangalore in plain clothes, who had come to the city to arrest Rai in connection with the cheating case.

Mumbai and Bangalore police initially had hiccups communicating, since neither knew the other’s language. Finally, when a Kannada-speaking translator was called, the Bangalore police were able to explain the whole case.

Tilak Nagar police said, “Dr Rai has cheated more than 10 students, taking Rs 10 lakh each with a promise of providing them admission to a city-based medical college in Bangalore. He had run away to Mumbai after taking the money four months ago.” The Bangalore cops finally took away Rai around 3 pm.